Mopstick head



B. L. CONCHAR MOPSTICK HEAD Jan. 14, 1930.

Filed March 3, 1928 2 m a a 4 I I I II I I. I 4, ,0 0 W (40 7 7 3 E7 5 a 3 .l fl 1 Q 9 r J :IHL 0 WK n W 1 fin Jinn l .1 7 a k m M Wm I r Y B 3 A TTORNEX UNITE s'rras PATENT OFFICE BELDEN L. CONCHAR, 0F MILLBURN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO' KEYSTONE STAMP- ING CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW J EBSEY MOPS'IICK HEAD Application filed March 3, 1928. Serial No. 258,717.

My invention relates to mopstick heads of the spring lever type and more particularly to those in which the head member is constructed of sheet metal and is shaped to provide a cross head portion having a transverse bail engaging groove and a socket-like portion, the latter portion being adapted to receive the end of the stick or handle.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a mopstick head which may be cheaply manufactured, which is constructed of a minimum number of parts, which has a stick receiving portion adapted to rigidly engage a stick and which will remain so engaged under substantially all conditions. I accomplish these objects by forming the head member of sheet metal which may be one single piece having two opposed socket-like sections curved to form a tapered socket-like portion of smaller diameter than the stick and between which the end of the stick may be wedged and gripped. In accordance with my invention I utilize the usual coil spring to surround the socket-like portions and urge them together to aid in retaining the stick therein thus making the spring serve a double duty.

Other objects and advantages will appear from a detailed description which follows describing one form of my invention in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a mopstick head and a portion of a handle constructed and assembled in accordance with this invcntion;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section taken along line 2-42 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of my inven tion there is shown a mopstick 1 having an end portion 2, somewhat reduced in diameter and flattened upon one side to which is secured the cross head member 3. This member is preferably stamped from a single blank of sheet metal and is formed with a bail engaging end portion which is transversely grooved. as at 4 (Fig. 2) to receive a bail wire 5, and a mop 6 therebetween. The blank is substantially bent upon itself to provide the grooved end and a pair of side walls 7 extending upwardly from the transverse groove, the ends of the groove being notched as at 8 to form guides for the bail wire. At the center thereof the side walls are continued upwardly to provide a pair of opposed spaced extensions 9 which are curved outwardly to constitute a partial socket tapering from a relatively large opening at the top where the upper edge of the extensions 9 are flared outwardly as at 10, to a considerably smaller diameter at the bottom adjacent the bail engaging or grooved end of the cross head. The larger diameter of the socket-like portion, with the extensions in normal position, is less than the diameter of the stick portion to be inserted therein in order to make it necessary to wedge or forcethe stick into the socket andseparate the extensions against the inherent spring or. resiliency of the formed metal. One section may befiattened to cooperate with the flattened side of the stick to prevent rotation of the stick in the socket. The usual lever handle 11 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a coiled tension spring 12 which surrounds the lower portion of the stick. The lower end of spring 12 surrounds the socket extensions 9 and resiliently urges them together in addition to a similar urge due to their own inherent resiliency. The last convolution of the spring may be secured to one extension and to the stick by means of a staple 13 if so desired. With this arrangement the spring 12 not only provides a yielding-fulcrum for the lever but also as a locking means for securing the tapered socket tightly against the handle.

The advantages of a mopstick head constructed in accordance with my invention are believed to be apparent from the foregoing description. The head member being formed of one piece reduces the number of parts considerably and permits of cheap manufacture since these pieces can be cut from a continuous strip of metal. As previously described the partial socket which is tapered, has a normal diameter smaller than the diameter of the stick to be employed therewith and consequently when assembling the mopstick and cross head the stick must be forced into the socket against the natural resiliency of the socket and against the resilient confinement of the spring 12. This combination of a coiled spring and a tapered contractile socket aflords a very rigid attachment for the cross head to the stick and even should the wood stick shrink after being in use for some time the socket would contract and still grip the handle very solidly. The flare of the top edge of the socket sections aids in the introduction of a stick into the socket portions for otherwise it Would'be a" diflicultmatter to insert the stick into the socket portion. Itis to be noted that the coiled spring is the only means of securing the side walls of the one-piece cross 1% member together and thus all addition'als'ecuring means are eliminated which is a further reduction in the customary number'of parts making up the mopstick head. Other advantages will be obvious and it is not de- 29 sired to limit this invention to the particular embodiment shown but only in so far as the invention is defined in-the claims appended hereto.

Claims: V 5 1. A cross head for mopsticks comprising a sheet metal member foldedupon itself and shaped to have a bail engaging portion at the folded end and havingat the open end two complemental arcuate socket sections aggregating less than 360 and normally urged to gether by the resiliency of the metal to a position beyond concentricity.

2. A cross head for mopsticks comprising a sheet metal member folded upon itself and shaped to'have a bail engaging portion at the folded end and having at the open end two complemental arcuate socket sections aggregating less than 360 and normally urged together by the resiliency of the metal to a position beyond concentricity, and a coil spring surrounding the .socket sections, the coils of which have a normal diameter substantially that of the socket sections when they are con- 7 centric. 3. A cross head for mopsticks comprising "a sheet metal member folded upon itself and shaped to have a bail engaging portion at the folded end and having at the open end two complemental arcuate socket sections aggre- 5o gating less than 360 andnormally urged together by the resiliency of the metal to a position beyond concentricity, the socket sections having an outward flare at their outer end portions, and a coil spring surrounding the socket sections, the coils of which have a normal diameter substantially that of the socket sections at the base of the flare when they are concentric.

In Witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

BELDEN L. CON CHA R. 

